Understanding Generative AI at Work

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Understanding Generative AI at Work

This course is part of HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers Specialization

Instructor: Harvard Business Review

Included with Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

9 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

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Shareable certificate

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This course is part of the HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 4 modules in this course

Generative AI is changing how managers get work done, but only if you understand how to use it well. This course, based on the HBR Guide to Generative AI for Managers, introduces the foundational shift from machines as tools to machines as collaborators, and gives you a practical framework for working with generative AI in two distinct modes: as a Co-Pilot for fast, reliable execution, and as a Co-Thinker for deeper reasoning and dialogue. You'll build the mindset that separates managers who use AI effectively from those who fall into common traps, learn to manage the real risks that come with it, and explore 35 real managerial tasks across your work where generative AI can add immediate value. By the end, you'll know not just what generative AI can do, but when to reach for it and how to start using it in your own role right away.

For years, you've used technology as a tool, something you operate, not something you think with. Generative AI changes that. Discover how machines evolved from simple tools into true collaborators, and what large language models can now do for the way you work.

What's included

2 videos8 readings1 assignment

2 videosTotal 10 minutes

How Machines Evolved from Tools to Assistants6 minutes
Machines Are Evolving from Tools into Collaborators4 minutes

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
The Old Paradigm: Machines as Tools10 minutes
The Transitional Paradigm: Machines as Assistants10 minutes
The Generative AI Paradigm: Machines as Collaborators10 minutes
Take Action10 minutes
What Are Large Language Models?10 minutes
Different Gen AI Models Are Available10 minutes
Recap10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module Quiz30 minutes

Not every task calls for the same kind of help from AI. Sometimes you need fast, reliable execution, other times you need a thinking partner who challenges your assumptions. Learn the two core modes for working with generative AI, and how to set up a structured dialogue when you need to think something through.

What's included

3 videos16 readings1 assignment

3 videosTotal 16 minutes

Using Gen AI for Execution and Introduction to Thinking4 minutes
Setting Up Human–AI Collaboration6 minutes
Designing and Running Effective AI Dialogue6 minutes

16 readingsTotal 160 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
How to Use Gen AI as a Co-Pilot10 minutes
How to Prompt Gen AI to Execute a Task for You10 minutes
How to Use Gen AI as a Co-Thinker10 minutes
Roles of AI and Humans in Collaborative Dialogue10 minutes
Take action10 minutes
Introduction10 minutes
Assign a Role10 minutes
Define the Setting10 minutes
Exploring the Settings of Co-Thinking10 minutes
Outline the Dialogue10 minutes
Example of a Dialogue Outline: Q&A Session Preparation10 minutes
Create the prompt10 minutes
Advanced Technique for Structured Prompting10 minutes
Key Differences between Co-Pilot and Co-Thinker10 minutes
Recap10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module Quiz30 minutes

Getting value from generative AI isn't just about prompting well, it's about how you think. Learn the mindset shifts that separate managers who use AI effectively from those who fall into common traps, and how to manage the real risks that come with it.

What's included

2 videos10 readings1 assignment

2 videosTotal 12 minutes

Understanding the Gen AI Mindset and Its Pitfalls6 minutes
Applying the Gen AI Mindset in Daily Work6 minutes

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Building Blocks of Your Gen AI Mindset10 minutes
How to Stay Up-To-Date on the Latest Trends in Gen AI10 minutes
Human-AI Collaboration Traps to Avoid10 minutes
Building Your Gen AI Mindset10 minutes
How to Make It Conversational10 minutes
TIP: Cultivating the Gen AI Habit10 minutes
Applying the Gen AI Mindset in Daily Work10 minutes
Risks in the Age of Generative AI10 minutes
Recap10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Module Quiz30 minutes

You've learned the modes and the mindset, now put them to work. Explore 35 real managerial tasks, across every part of your role, where generative AI can help, and pinpoint where to start testing it in your own work.

What's included

1 video2 readings1 assignment

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Instructor

Harvard Business Review

28 Courses22,628 learners

Offered by

Harvard Business Review

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